Karl’s One-eyed Jacques (French Toast Punch-Out Eggs)

I was making French toast for Jan’s breakfast. My wife never eats an egg as well when she has French toast, but I wanted one. I suddenly remembered her family recipe for One-eyed Jacks and I wondered, why not make it with French toast? Of course that would make it a One-eyed Jacques.

Jan prefers whole wheat flax seed bread, but any sliced sour dough or white bread will work. The only limit is that it has to be at least 3-3¼ inches across in both directions, so that you still have a ¼ inch around the edges to hold the egg in. When I have used bread that is too small—to cut out a circle—I use a knife to slice cut a rectangle large enough to hold the egg.

Some bread is very absorbent and others will soak only a little of the egg wash. You want to soak the bread long enough to absorb plenty of the egg wash, but not so much that it falls apart as you move it to the pan. For some breads you may also have to adjust the temperature, or cover the pan, to ensure that the egg wash cooks through before the surface burns.

Karl’s One-eyed Jacques (French Toast Punch-Out Eggs)

Ingredients

( for 4 toasts)

Egg Wash

2 eggs
¼ cup cream or low fat milk
1 Tbs. sugar (Karl’s orange Infused Sugar, if you have it)
½ tsp. cinnamon
⅛ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. vanilla
pinch Kosher salt

4 slice of bread

1 Tbs. butter, separate uses
4 eggs
Pepper

Directions

1. Scramble the eggs well and whisk in the milk, sugar, and spices.

Note: I have an old pot that lost its handle and it makes a perfect flat bottomed mixing bowl that I use just for soaking French toast.

2. Lay a slice of bread on a cutting board or plate and use the canning jar lid or biscuit cutter to punch out a 2½-¾ inch hole in the bread.

3. Soak the bread in the egg wash.

Note: Soak and fry the center holes separately

4. Melt some butter in a skillet or griddle over a medium high heat.

Tip: If you are using a griddle, and you need to cover the toast, use a lid that will completely cover the slice without touching it.

5. Place the bread slice in the pan and break an egg into the hole in the center.

Tip: Try not to break the yoke when you open the egg shell.

Note: The hot butter under the edges of the bread creates a barrier that keeps the runny part of the egg white inside the hole.

6. Put the cut out round of bread on the griddle.

7. When the bottom of the egg is well set and white (about 1½ to 2 minutes), use the pancake turner to flip the egg and bread over. Again, be gentle, you do not want to break the yoke.

Tip: If you want your One-eyed Jacques sunny side up, do not flip your toast. Although if you do this, you may need to put a lid over it to make sure the top part of the egg is cooked enough to be safe.

Note: Flip the bread round as well.

8. After about one minute, flip the toast again and sprinkle a bit of pepper on top.

9. Depending on how runny you like your eggs you may serve your one-eyed Jacques now, or give it a bit longer on the griddle to set more fully.

10. Repeat for each slice you are planning to serve.

Note: Most griddles will handle three or four slices of bread at one time.